Many enterprises go out of business because of inefficient materials handling practices. In many instances, it is seen that competing industries are using same or similar production equipment, and one who uses improved materials handling system stays ahead of their competitors. The essential requirements of a good materials handling system may be summarized as:


All the above points clearly show the importance of materials handling in an industry or material transportation system. However, the negative aspects of materials handling should also not be overlooked.
Efficient and safe movement of materials to the desired place. Timely movement of the materials when needed; Supply of materials at the desired rate. Storing of materials utilizing minimum space/ Lowest cost solution to the materials handling activities.

Introduction to maerials handling is loading, moving and unloading materials. To do it safely and economically, different types of tackles, gadgets and equiment are used, when the materials handling is referred to as mechanical handling of materials.

Materials handling is not a produciton process and hence does not add to the value of the product. It also costs money; therefore it should be eliminated or at least reduced as much a possible. In many cases, mechanical handling reduces the cost of manual handling of the materials, where such materials handling is highly desirable. The foremost importance of materials handling is that it helps productivity and thereby increases profitability of an industry.

These long distance movements of materials are generally termed as transportation of materials through various modes of transport like road, raqil, ship or air. Transportion is generally excluded form the scope of materials handling. However, at each of the sources and destinations, loading and unloading of materials is necessary and these are referred to as materials handling of these locations.
Chapter five Materials Handling
Learning objective
To understand the definition of materials handling To Understand the importance of the danger of materials handling To demonstrate the materials handling process of your company To establish logistics business relationship with your clients

Due to the weight, volume and throughput of materials, mechanical handling of materials may become unavoidable. Often materials handling extends beyond the boundary of the industry in the form of movement of raw materials from the sources to the plant or in the form of finished goods from the plant to the points fo consumption.